USL Pro expansion news, rumor and wishful thinking.

They talked about stadium expansion plans in the post press conference interviews, not in the actual presser.

 

I guess the USL Pro will continue to expand for 2014. http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20131109/ARTICLES/131109650/1005?p=1&tc=pg&tc=ar

 

But to where?

 

Here's something a little more substantial. I said 'a little more'. It will be interesting if this pans out. Mostly makes me wonder how Phoenix, who seemed to end far worse than VSI, is managing to keep going.

 

The USL kicked out the Phoenix ownership group. The USL must think highly enough of the Phoenix market because they are shopping around for a new owner. My speculation is that an MLS club is going to take it over in lieu of their reserve team (SLC maybe??)

 

VSI Tampa folded. That market is pretty entrenched for Rowdies. Definitely more of an uphill battle than Phoenix

 

What a shame they already folded, I am still waiting for their 28 K SSS

1. VSI Tampa announce $400M Soccer Stadium Plan - The Scoring Third
   www.scoringthird.com/.../vsi-tampa-announce-400...‎
   28/11/2012 - VSI Tampa Bay FC will formally announce plans for a 28,000 seat ... ifMLS ever puts a team back in Tampa it is dumber than a sack of ...

 

So with VSI folding, Antigua folding, LA probably folding, Orlando moving up, and Phoenix in a form of limbo which it may or may not come out of... the league will more or less be right back where it started with the coming expansion teams. The deck chairs continue to be shuffled around the deck of minor league soccer.

 

'Twas ever thus.

There is a core group of teams that are solid and entrenched in their communities and aren't likely to be going anywhere (though it's not a guarantee). Then there is the flimsy outer layer that keeps getting patched with new owners who come and go.

That's really been the case at the lower levels (and indoor, especially) for years.

We'll know more when we see what MLS teams do with the concept by 2015. I'm still not sold of the idea of (basically) two leagues within a league, with a bunch of teams whose main objective is to win and a bunch more whose objective is to develop players and if they win, too, fine.

 

This is exactly what MiLB was for several decades until all the independent teams eventually signed with MLB teams about 10-15 years ago. But for a very long time there was a mix of independent, affiliated and MLB team owned MiLB teams playing in the various lower level leagues. But if MLB is any guide, assuming MLS wants to eventually have full control of USL (which might help end the deck chair shuffling) then eventually all USL teams will be partnered up with or owned by an MLS side just as what happened with MiLB.

 

And MiLB is just as competetive as the majors. A lot of player development in the minors consists of playing time in an actual competetive environment.

 

St.Louis, Austin TX., El Paso, Louisville?

 

Don't forget Tacoma, Detroit and San Diego.

 

Louisville is next. Look no further then this bs "supporters" group they created a few weeks ago called The Coopers. It's a shame supporters group created by the Orlando City management so they can move their D3 team there in 2015. Check their twitter account last night and ask how the hell a new local supporters group from Louisville was in Orlando last night for the OCSC MLS announcement.

 

Wait, what?

When did independent teams "sign with MLB teams?" You mean the very small handful of teams playing in the actual organized leagues like the Florida State League, the California League, the Midwest League, and so forth?

Even 30 years ago, there were very, very few unaffiliated/independent teams in what we consider the actual minors (MiLB). The Miami Miracle (which became the Fort Myers Miracle in 1992) was one for a while, but they were far and away the exception rather than the rule.

Minor league teams have been subject to the National Agreement and their relationship with the majors has been settled and codified for decades. The Utica Blue Sox were independent briefly, and there have been some co-op teams, but very, very few over time.

There are still independent teams, right? The Atlantic League, the American Association, whatever there are now...those are unaffiliated leagues. They're independent. They haven't signed with anyone (though they do sell players to major league organizations).

I cannot for the life of me name any independent teams playing in the International, Pacific Coast, Eastern, Southern, Texas, California, Carolina, Florida State, Midwest, South Atlantic, New York-Penn, Northwest, Appalachian or Pioneer Leagues any time in the last 20 years.

Minor league baseball has long been a revolving door of affiliations as front office people move, make different decisions, piss people off, shift their development strategy, or find themselves in the game of musical chairs that puts their AAA affiliate a thousand miles away. The teams that have PDCs with their affiliates have that issue, and things do change in that regard. And some lower-level teams (and even AAA teams, like Tucson going to El Paso now) will change locations.

But, no, the scenario we're describing is actually not 'exactly what MiLB was for several decades.' At least not any decades since any of us have been alive.

 

Except for that pesky detail of an owner worth $20M who would be interested in doing it.

 

FWIW, we're fresh out of glamour and glitz here.